LESSON ACADEMIC VOCABULARY COPYMASTER

15 Analyzing Persuasive
Techniques in Advertising

Persuasive How It Is Used Intended Effect

Technique
Bandwagon Uses the argument that a person
should believe or do something
because “everybody else” does
Bait and Dishonest tactic in which a
Switch salesperson lures customers into
a store with the promise of a bargain
Celebrity Uses a celebrity or famous person to
Spokesperson endorse a product
Emotional Make viewers feel certain emotions,
Appeals such as excitement, sadness, or fear
Glittering Emphasizes highly valued beliefs, such
Generalities as patriotism, peace, or freedom
Humor Used to make audiences laugh, but
provides little information about the
product or service
Individuality Appeals to consumers’ desire to be
• Consumers buy the product because they
want to fit in.
• Consumers assume that if others buy it,
the product must be good.
• Consumers are persuaded to buy a more
expensive item.
• Consumers transfer admiration or respect
for the celebrity to the product.
• Audience transfers that feeling to the
product.
• Consumers accept this information, often
without enough real evidence to support
the claim.
• Consumers remember the ad and
associate positive feelings with the
product.
• Consumers celebrate their own style, or

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different from everyone else; the rebel against what others are doing.
Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

opposite of the bandwagon appeal • Consumers perceive the product as

unique, stylish, or cool.
Loaded Uses words with positive or negative • The words appeal to consumers’ emotions,
Language connotations to describe a product or rather than their reason.
that of the competitor—such as purr, • Purr words, such as “fresh” or “juicy,”
snarl, or weasel words make a product seem more desirable.
Name-calling Attacks people or groups to discredit • Consumers focus on the attack rather
their ideas than the issues.
Plain Folk Shows ordinary people using or • Consumers trust the product because it’s
supporting a product or candidate good enough for regular “folks.”
Product Compares a product with the “inferior” • Consumers believe the feature product is
Comparison competition superior.

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 LESSON STUDENT LESSON SUMMARY COPYMASTER

15 Analyzing Persuasive
Techniques in Advertising

Understanding persuasive techniques can help you evaluate the messages that surround
you and identify misleading information.
HERE’S HOW
Strategy 1: Consider the message and the audience. The obvious goal of most
ads is to get you to buy a product or “buy into” an idea. When you understand the message
and audience, you can determine which techniques are being used and why. Ask yourself:
• What is the message? What does the ad want the consumer to buy?
• Who is the audience? Does the ad appeal to certain emotions or beliefs? What do those
emotions or beliefs tell you about the audience?
Strategy 2: Spot the persuasive techniques. Advertisers strive to make each
ad memorable, convincing, and exciting. Characters, slogans, text, and sounds are all part
of the persuasive technique. Ask yourself:
• Who appears in the ad? The people who appear in the ad often reflect the target
audience or whom members of that audience are likely to admire. Advertisers might
choose specific celebrities to endorse products because they want the audience to
associate the celebrity with the product. Actors or models might be chosen for many
reasons. For example, they might be people just like the audience (plain folk), rebellious
or unique (individuality), or “one of the crowd” (bandwagon).
• Does the ad appeal to emotion or to logic? Many ads today don’t provide information
about the product, and some ads don’t even show the product. Instead, the ads appeal
to the audience’s emotions, such as pity, fear, or vanity. For example, commercials
for telephone companies often appeal to viewers’ emotions of happiness or nostalgia
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to leave them with a positive feeling about their product and company. Some ads use

Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

humor to persuade an audience.
• What language is used? Every word in an ad counts, but not all the words actually
inform the audience. Loaded language, including purr, snarl, and weasel words, appeal
to the audience’s emotions rather than their reason. Purr words—such as “tasty” and
“sensational”—can make a product seem more desirable.
• Does the slogan stick? The best slogans are memorable and create an “image” of the
product. Slogans are less about the actual product and more about the audience recalling
a catchy phrase and associating it with the product.
Strategy 3: Understand the intended effects on the target audience. Most
ads don’t employ just one persuasive technique. They often use several. Each technique is
chosen to appeal specifically to the product’s target audience. Ask yourself: Why do I think
these techniques were chosen?

112 Book 6: Media and Speaking and Listening Standards Lesson Files
Grade 9
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LESSON PRACTICE WORKSHEET A COPYMASTER

15 Analyzing Persuasive
Techniques in Advertising

Directions: Adbusters is an organization that is concerned with the effects of commercial

forces on society and the environment. Consider the following advertisement created by
the organization, and answer the questions.

1. What is the message? Explain.

Media 15
Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

2. What persuasive technique is being employed? Explain.

3. Who is the target audience? Explain.

4. Is this an effective ad? Why or why not?

Standards Lesson Files Book 6: Media and Speaking and Listening 115
Grade 9
 Name Date

LESSON PRACTICE WORKSHEET B COPYMASTER

15 Analyzing Persuasive
Techniques in Advertising

Directions: Choose two competing products and find a commercial for each of them. Record
the commercials, and then use the chart to analyze the persuasive techniques the ads use.

Type of Product:
Commercial A Commercial B
1. Product

2. Message

3. Target Audience
Media 15

Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

4. Persuasive Techniques
Used Cite details to
support your analysis.

5. Intended Effect

116 Book 6: Media and Speaking and Listening Standards Lesson Files
Grade 9